A new adaptation of Stephen King‘s ‘Salem’s Lot has been in the works for quite some time, with studio Warner Bros., per Bloody Disgusting, finally confirming that the film will be landing in theaters this fall. The release date itself isn’t actually new, as its release was announced last year, but given the number of changes and updates various projects have earned, it will surely come as a relief to fans that the project hasn’t been postponed. Additionally, this latest information confirms that the film is still slated for a theatrical release as opposed to a debut on HBO Max. Salem’s Lot currently touts a September 9th release date.
Stephen King’s website describes the story, “Author Ben Mears returns to ‘Salem’s Lot to write a book about a house that has haunted him since childhood only to find his isolated hometown infested with vampires. While the vampires claim more victims, Mears convinces a small group of believers to combat the undead.”
The film stars Lewis Pullman, Makenzie Leigh, Alfre Woodard, Bill Camp, John Benjamin Hickey, Nicholas Crovetti, Jordan Preston Carter, William Sadler, Spencer Treat Clark, Cade Woodward, Debra Christofferson, and Pilou Asbaek. Gary Dauberman both wrote and directed this new adaptation of the novel.
Dauberman previously wrote the scripts for both IT and IT CHAPTER TWO, films that mark an interesting similarity with Salem’s Lot. King’s IT was first brought to life as a TV miniseries in 1990 before earning a two-part revival, both of which went on to be major successes. In 1979, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre director Tobe Hooper directed a TV adaptation of ‘Salem’s Lot, which was also a two-part event. While this new ‘Salem’s Lot adaptation will be one feature film, Dauberman has already proven he can revive King stories for a new generation as he manages to capture what made the source material so compelling.
This upcoming film isn’t the only project with connections to ‘Salem’s Lot, as the location was a pivotal part of Season 2 of Castle Rock on Hulu. More recently, EPIX delivered audiences the TV series Chapelwaite, which was inspired by King’s “Jerusalem’s Lot” short story, a narrative that focused on the unsettling events of the town decades before what would unfold in the ‘Salem’s Lot novel.
Salem’s Lot is hitting theaters on September 9th.
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